Education Testimonials

This critical and confrontational missive is an important handbook, tool, and guide for all adults with influence in the lives of young people who are currently or will be futuristically matriculating through the educational process of K-12 or college institutions. Before critiquing the current generation, we must also question and assess the generation who raised and educated it. This work of Tovi Scruggs keeps us all holistically accountable (school and family). As it especially relates to our African American youth, the stakes are extremely high and the moral imperative is one of life and death; thus teaching our children how to navigate current educational and societal systems is paramount. Because of the extreme importance of The Parent Champion Guide, Tovi Scruggs asks tough questions that force parents and guardians to assess personal parenting paradigms and investment levels. The Parent Champion Guide takes the process of educational parenting out of the realm of theory and moves us into praxis. This is simply a must read and a must do.

As a veteran educator with 35 years of experience in and outside of the classroom, I have always embraced the notion of parents as partners. The Parent Champion Guide is a small book with a big message– parents play a pivotal role in the academic success of their children. Rather than leave them with just this important point, the Guide gives concrete examples of steps parents can take to help cultivate the genius that lies in every child. I recommend this little gem with enthusiasm!

Tovi Scruggs is a life-long learner and educator. She offers are clear and direct guide for parents of traditionally under-served students. Her recommendations–based on personal experience and educational research–will be useful for all parents who want to act as ‘Parent Champions and support their children so that they are able to be successful in school and life.

Dr. Fred Brill, Superintendent, San Lorenzo USD

Tovi has a deep understanding of the parent partnership required for a positive home/school relationship. The approach she describes will push parents to new levels with greater personal accountability. The book is an easy read with tips developed from personal accounts and testimonies that will inspire parents to try something new.

For many reasons too numerous to list and that most are painfully aware of, there remains a glaring, persistent, and deeply troubling achievement gap in America’s public school system. The achievement, opportunity and equity gaps are facts that we cannot afford to accept – morally, economically or socially.

Ms. Scruggs, a visionary and passionate educator, has dedicated her personal life and professional career to confront and ameliorate these gaps that are holding groups of students away from meeting and exceeding their God given talents and academic potential. She ardently believes that all children can learn to the same high levels. However, she also knows that it literally will take every ounce of our collective time, talents, and resources to dramatically impact students’ academic achievement. Parents and families are an integral piece of the educational success puzzle, but they are often one of the hardest groups to effectively reach. Breaking through life’s distraction to get the attention of these busy adults requires a strong and effective message. Using a practical, no-nonsense approach, The Parent Champion Guide delivers this message with current and compelling strategies that cultivate authentic parent involvement and engagement.

With the ultimate goal of dramatically improving genuine parent participation in their children’s’ academic life, as well as improving student academic achievement, The Parent Champion Guide, bridges the cultural gap between schools and parents/communities, strives to advance relationships between teachers, parents and students, and identifies community resources that can be used to support students’ academic success.

I applaud and admire Ms. Scruggs’ commitment to share her exemplary experiences through The Parent Champion Guide and look forward to using it as required reading for our organizations’ parent educational programming.

The Parent Champion Model engages the parent as a partner with the school as an active part of the child’s education. This model will assist and guide parents in becoming an effective parent, equip the parent with the ability of visioning the outcome the parent wants to achieve, delineate the strategies, actions, tasks and tools to be utilized, reinforce the connection between the home and the school, emphasize the necessity of preparation and list proven parent champion behaviors.

This model provides a pattern for increased parental involvement with their child’s educational, emotional, psychological, and physical well-being, all of which are necessary to become a mature adult who is a contributing member of society to the extent their ability, capacity and potential will allow.

I endorse this model wholeheartedly.

Pastor William S. Epps, Second Baptist Church, Los Angeles, CA

I stand in awe of Tovi’s honesty, determination, courage, and her commitment to student success. Her unwavering desire and commitment to student achievement through collaboration, not just with faculty and staff, but parents and community members ensures success for every student. This book is packed with road-tested tips and real-world strategies you can start using immediately to empower parents and families as student advocates.

From a teacher, visionary and school leader for over 20 years comes the courageous truth about effective parent partnering for school success. Tovi Scruggs knows exactly what our students need from school and home to achieve. But it is her insights and strategies focused on transforming parents into champions who make their children’s college dreams come true, that makes this book exceptional. Our only choice must be to carefully read Scruggs’ words and follow her directions for the benefit of our students, as we can no longer afford to simply wait on the system to do what it has never had the will to do before.

Glenn E. Singleton, Author Courageous Conversations About Race: A Fieldbook for Achieving Equity in Schools and MORE Courageous Conversations About RacePACIFIC EDUCATIONAL GROUP
GLENN E SINGLETON
President & CEO

PARENTS

Through Ms. Scruggs’ efforts, I became a better parent. She taught me that being informed was a critical part of the educational process. She was able to guide me through an often confusing and frustrating process, which allowed me to see the fruits of our labor – my daughter’s high school graduation with honors and acceptance into UC Riverside. Ms. Scruggs consistently demonstrates that students are the most important part of school. She is a definite asset and I can attest to the fact that she will bring out untapped potential and qualities in individuals and organizations that work to the greater good.

Adilah Bilal
Parent Champion, Mother of 2

Tovi Scruggs is committed to designing empowered partnerships between homes and schools in order to ensure that our children reach their academic potential and succeed in life. The health and well being of our children and our community requires that parents are knowledgeable about and engaged in the education process. This book gives parents and guardians the lay of the land and grounds our expectations in a hard reality. It challenges us to be reflective and proactive. It has practical tools that are tried and tested, use one or use them all….Just get in action!

Parent Champion is a life saver for parents drowning in the rough seas of educating their children. Tovi Scruggs offers concrete, practical strategies to help parents sharpen the tools needed to mold successful offspring. By helping us to hone our coaching skills with our children, Parent Champion helps us to create our best parent selves, and thus creating our best hope for shaping the future.

Lasha Pierce M.D.
Parent Champion, Mother of 3

I have been lucky enough to have worked with Ms. Scruggs the past two years since she took the Principal position at my daughters’ high school. She has approached the job with an awesome energy and optimism. She has raised the bar for all of us, and those same attributes are obvious with her Parent Champion Guide. She has been a strong advocate for parent involvement at the school, and I am privileged to help her get a PTSA started at San Lorenzo High School, which hadn’t been there in over 20 years. It would not have been possible without her support and energy. She has worked really hard to improve Parent Involvement, and as someone who has 4 kids in the school district, I know it can be hard. I think The Parent Champion Guide is an excellent source and tool, not only for those parents that want to become involved, but also for those that are involved but would like to be more effective.

It is applicable to all parents, and even teachers and staff, when it comes to the concept of partnerships between schools and parents.

Amber Hunter,
PTSA President
Parent Champion, Mother of 4

The Parent Champion Guide is a powerful narrative authored by Tovi Scruggs, an exceptional educator, educational consultant and administrator. My daughter attended ASA Academy and Community Science Center, where Tovi was Co-Founder and Co-Director, and where we learned and practiced the ideology detailed in Parent Champion Guide.

As parents who had not attended college, following the “Parent Champion” principles laid out in this book, we were able to provide meaningful guidance to our daughter which enabled her to be a stronger student, more conscious of self, and better prepared to realize her goals. She is now in her third year at St. Mary’s College of California.

I can assure you, though it is no easy task, with the in-your-face guidance outlined in this book, you will be a more powerful “Parent Champion” to your children! This book will enlighten, empower, challenge and guide you and your student successfully through the education process.